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OPINION:
Two pressing issues related to Venezuela have captured the American public’s attention. First, the rise in violent crimes linked to Venezuelan gangs and illegal immigrants, particularly Tren de Aragua, reported to operate in 16 states across the U.S., has set off alarms about domestic security. Reports of trafficking, extortion and other violent crimes underscore the urgency of addressing transnational criminal groups infiltrating the U.S. — groups empowered by the Maduro regime’s criminal networks.
Second, the Jan. 10 inauguration in Venezuela represents a critical flash point. President-elect Edmundo Gonzalez’s recent visit to Washington, coupled with Nicolas Maduro’s threats to arrest him upon returning to Venezuela, underscores the regime’s escalating authoritarianism. With a change in U.S. leadership imminent, it is essential that President-elect Donald Trump not feel bound by any agreements from the outgoing Biden administration, whose Venezuela policy has proved ineffective. This moment demands decisive action to address the growing threat.
These developments underscore the need to expose Mr. Maduro’s regime for what it truly is: a militarized narco-terrorist state threatening the region and beyond.
For years, Hugo Chavez and Mr. Maduro perpetuated a facade of democracy, holding frequent elections since 1998 to project legitimacy while systematically dismantling Venezuela’s democratic foundations. This illusion collapsed in 2020 with the adoption of the Bolivarian Armed Forces Constitutional Law. Passed by an illegitimate assembly, the law granted the military absolute power, transforming Venezuela into a militarized hub for narco-terrorism. The regime now mirrors rogue states such as North Korea but wields a uniquely destructive influence in the Americas.
The mask of democracy is gone.
The regime’s use of elections as a smoke screen has been exposed as fraudulent. The 2020 Constitutional Law of the Bolivarian Armed Forces formalized the military’s role as the regime’s primary enforcer, turning generals into warlords and Venezuela into a criminal enterprise. Organizations such as the Cartel de los Soles operate with impunity, trafficking drugs and spreading violence across Latin America. Groups like Tren de Aragua extend this destabilization, terrorizing neighboring countries and infiltrating the U.S. border.
A narco-terrorist regime in the Americas
Mr. Maduro’s regime is not just a Venezuelan problem — it’s a hemispheric crisis. By providing a haven to transnational terrorist organizations such as Hezbollah and the National Liberation Army, the Colombian guerrilla group known as the ELN, Venezuela has become a central node in global narco-terrorism. Its criminal networks traffic drugs to the United States and Europe while fostering violence and instability across Latin America.
The networks’ infiltration of the U.S. highlights the urgent need for a robust international response. The regime’s alliances with terrorist organizations and its exportation of violence demand decisive action to protect the security of the Western Hemisphere.
Opposition missteps
The Venezuelan people have braved the dangers of confronting the regime both in the voting booths and through peaceful protests on the streets. On July 28, they voted for Mr. Gonzalez by a margin of 70% to 30%. Still, their efforts have been met with harsher measures, and thousands of Venezuelans rot in jails today as a result of the regime’s growing tyranny.
The problem is that Venezuela’s opposition has failed to address the root causes of its failures. Symbolic gestures, such as naming alternative presidents, ignore the reality that militarized narco-regimes do not fall through peaceful acts. The military’s entrenchment in both politics and the drug trade ensures it has no incentive to relinquish power voluntarily. Their exit cost is simply too high. Venezuela’s opposition must confront this reality and focus on dismantling the military’s dominance as the foundation of any viable solution.
The path forward
The Maduro regime will not permit democratic change without external pressure. The United States and its allies must adopt a comprehensive strategy, including:
• Expanding sanctions targeting the regime’s financial networks and military enablers.
• Designating Venezuela as a state sponsor of terrorism and labeling its military, Cartel de los Soles and Tren de Aragua as foreign terrorist organizations.
• Disrupting the regime’s criminal enterprises by collaborating with global partners to dismantle its trafficking and terrorist networks.
• Supporting Venezuelan civil society and democratic forces to lay the groundwork for a transition.
Allowing Venezuela’s criminal state to persist is not an option. Its exportation of illicit drugs and violence destabilizes Latin America and endangers U.S. security. The regime’s militarized narco-terrorism is a tragedy for Venezuela and a crisis with far-reaching global consequences.
The time for symbolic gestures is over. The United States must lead a global effort to isolate the regime, dismantle its networks and restore democracy in Venezuela. Anything less would betray not only the Venezuelan people but all who value peace and the rule of law in our hemisphere.
• Miguel Angel Martin is president of the Venezuelan American Patriots Foundation and the former president of the Venezuelan Supreme Court in exile. Ignacio De Leon and Esteban Gerbasi are founding members of the foundation.
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